Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 47758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
“And what, you have your freaky way with me? No thanks.” Money was always a temptation but she’d seen other girls, younger ones who were on the streets get lured in by money. It was dangerous. The next time she’d seen said girls, they’d been a shell, if she’d ever seen them again. Some of them would tell her horrible things, what the men did, how they hurt the girls.
Not happening.
She’d evaded rape a couple of times. Tulip wasn’t a fool about this world or what it was capable of. It was a horrible, shitty place. There was no happiness, just a fight for survival and that was exactly what she did. Every single day, she fought for a reason to not slit her wrists … or be in any kind of position for them to be cut again.
Staring at the man before her, she hated the very ground he walked on. The suit was expensive and he had this air around him that told her he was used to getting what he wanted. Not from her.
“I have no reason to touch you. I just want to talk.”
“We can talk right here.”
“I don’t talk about my business in the open.”
“Then you shouldn’t be stalking girls at night. It’s rude.” She noticed he kept closing the gap, trying to distract her. It wasn’t working. There was nowhere for her to go.
She couldn’t move. The light was her only saving grace right now.
Fuck, she had to get away. The only way was to attack him. She hoped if he was wounded he wouldn’t chase after her.
With each step he took, her heart rate sped up. She was sure he heard it and it scared her. Why now? Why did this have to happen to her? She’d been living her life with no real drama for months.
Watching him, she waited. He got to the edge of the light and he stopped there. His hand shot out and she saw a brown envelope.
“Take it.”
“Not happening.”
“Do you have any family?” he asked.
“None of your business.”
She leaned against the post. Even as she was tired, she wouldn’t give in to the need to fall asleep.
“You know, it doesn’t have to be this way.” He pocketed the cash and when he pounced, she expected it. Drawing her blade up, she went for his stomach, but at the last minute, he captured her hands, blocking the move.
She cried out at the sudden pain. He was strong. Stronger than she anticipated. As he held her still, she whimpered, but he didn’t let her go. He twisted her wrist, making her cry out again. He moved her suddenly so her back was to him. She fought against him, but her street fighting was no match for this guy.
“I’m sorry. I had hoped we could make this easier but it seems you like to do things the hard way, and well, I don’t have time for bullshit right now.”
Something pricked her neck and she cried out. “What did you do?”
It didn’t matter the answer. Everything started to spin and within seconds, it went dark.
Chapter Two
“The jet is ready. Now are you going to tell me what this is all about?” Jacob asked.
Rick finished tying Tulip into the chair. He’d chained her wrists to the seat and wrapped a piece of rope around her middle. The woman wasn’t going anywhere.
“I’m heading back to you. I want someone ready at airport security.”
“Again, it’s always a given, but why?”
“I’m not traveling alone. I may have the resource we need to get Landon under control.” He hung up and pocketed his cell phone.
“You’re going to need to give her this when you land,” Mandy said.
He took the syringe from her and looked at his beautiful wife. “Why are you helping me? I know what you think about violence and all of this.” He’d tested the waters long ago to see if she could ever handle what he was like. She’d failed, but he loved her and there was no way he could ever give her up. He always figured this was the universe’s way to fuck with him. Give him a woman who struggled with who he really was. The truth was, he didn’t miss all the crap that went on with being a Denton in the city. Giving it up had been a challenge and when he had some difficult patients, it would have been so easy to kill them or hit them. He held himself back all the time. It was what he did. He’d learned to use his job as some kind of restraint. His reward, his wife. Holding her at the end of the night, being inside her—it was all he needed to keep on the straight and narrow.
“You’re my man, Rick. I didn’t think I’d be able to handle this, any of this, but I’ve shocked myself.” She cupped his cheek. “Come back to me when you can.” She kissed him hard and he escorted her off the jet. Once she was safely inside the car, he called his security guy to make sure she got home safely. He never left Mandy unattended. She was always surrounded by men he could trust.